• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Savory Tooth

Simple Tasty Recipes

  • Welcome
  • Recipes
    • Mains: Poultry
    • Mains: Beef
    • Mains: Pork
    • Mains: Seafood
    • Mains: Lamb
    • Mains: Vegetable
    • Appetizers
    • Sides
    • Desserts
    • Breakfast
    • Salads and Dressings
    • Soups
    • Drinks
    • Snacks
    • Sauces and Dips
  • Low Carb Resources
    • How To Start
    • Shopping List
    • Hidden Carbs
    • Position Paper
    • Science Articles

Fast Creamed Spinach

Updated Nov 9, 2020Published Oct 19, 2017 By Julia 16 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links.

Summary:
This thick and creamy spinach side dish can be conveniently prepared in a single pot on the stove in just 15 minutes. Cooking on the stovetop is faster than using the oven, and allows you to easily monitor the spinach's consistency.
overhead view of creamed spinach

Creamed Spinach

5 from 8 votes
PRINT PIN EMAIL
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Yield: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 12-ounce package baby spinach, roughly chopped (Note 1)
  • 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (Note 2)
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (Note 3)
  • 1/4 cup diced onion or 2 tablespoons dry minced onion
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Wilt Spinach: Add spinach to large pot over medium-high heat, working in 2 batches if needed (Note 4). Stirring frequently, cook until spinach is wilted and most of liquid released by spinach has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
  • Cook Onions: Reduce to medium heat. Add butter and onions. Stirring occasionally, cook until butter is melted and onions are tender (if using fresh onions), a few minutes.
  • Add Dairy: Stir in parmesan cheese until melted, about 1 minute. Add heavy whipping cream and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Stirring frequently, simmer until desired consistency is reached, a few minutes.
  • Finish & Serve: Reduce heat to low. Stir in garlic until incorporated, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve (Note 5).

NUTRITION

Makes 2 Servings
Amount Per Serving (3/4 cup):
Calories 470 (75% from fat)  
Total Fat 39g 60%
   Saturated Fat 27g 135%
Cholesterol 150mg 50%
Sodium 410mg 17%
Net Carb 4g  
Total Carb 8.5g 3%
   Dietary Fiber 4.5g 17%
   Sugars 1g  
Protein 12g  
Vitamin A 244% · Vitamin C 54% · Calcium 41% · Iron 30%

PHOTOS

overhead view of creamed spinach
raw baby spinach in nonstick pot
wilted spinach and onions in pot
adding cream to spinach in pot
thickened spinach and cream in pot
creamed spinach served in white bowl

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Spinach. I use fresh baby spinach, including both leaves and stems. Frozen spinach is fine — you may need to increase the cooking time and adjust the amounts of cheese and cream to taste.
(2) Parmesan Cheese. This is finely grated parmesan that has a sandy or almost powdery texture (not shredded), available in pre-grated bags in the refrigerated section of U.S. grocery stores.
(3) Heavy Whipping Cream. If you can’t find heavy whipping cream, some readers have had success substituting with half and half. I don’t recommend non-dairy nut milks because they won’t add a creamy consistency to this dish.
(4) Pot. I use a nonstick pot 9 inches in diameter and 4 inches tall; no cooking oil needed. If your pot is not large enough to hold all of the raw spinach, work in 2 batches by wilting half of the spinach at a time.
(5) Serving. Serve creamed spinach while it’s hot, optionally topping with shaved parmesan cheese. Personally, I don’t add any salt because it tastes salty enough from the parmesan cheese and butter. Note that garlic is added last, after the sauce has simmered, so it’s slightly undercooked and more potent flavor. Creamed spinach is fantastic over grilled or baked chicken, slow cooked turkey breast, or other meat-heavy main dishes. It can also be a great side dish during holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
(6) Flavor Options. This recipe makes a basic creamed spinach. To make it more interesting, you can add crispy crumbled bacon, sautéed mushrooms, various roasted nuts, or baked eggs.

More Sides

overhead view of keto coleslaw served in stoneware bowl

Quick Coleslaw

closeup of onions zucchini and bell peppers

Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables

closeup view of jalapeno cornbread

Jalapeño Cornbread

close up view of roasted brussels sprouts

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Filed Under: Cooking For Two, Low Carb, Per Serving: Under 5g Net Carbs, Sides Tagged With: 0-30min, 6-10ingredients, featured, garlic, gluten free, heavy cream, onion, parmesan cheese, spinach, stovetop, thanksgiving, vegetarian

About Julia

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Julia is a recipe developer and the founder of Savory Tooth. Since 2015, she has been sharing simple recipes for tasty dishes, mostly low carb and gluten free. Learn more.

Previous Post: « Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Next Post: Cauliflower Flatbread with Pesto and Parmesan »
4000
Did you make this? Rate this recipe:




4000
Did you make this? Rate this recipe:




newest oldest most voted
nicole

I made this last night and not only is it super easy, but it is sooo delicious!!! It literally can’t compare to any spinach I’ve ever had. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I will be adding it to my book.

Vote Up4Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Alyson

3 letters … O.M.G!!

I think spinach will be a staple part of our diet from now on! How wonderful to start your keto journey and find such an amazing recipe! Thank you!

Vote Up3Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Tana

The above is a very good recipe that I enjoy. Here is a little twist on the recipe which I also like. Omit the onion and maybe cut back on the garlic depending on your individual taste. Add dried mustard and ground nutmeg. Yes, I know they are not the standard spices for spinach but this is very good! You don’t want to make the dry mustard and ground nutmeg taste strong, but you should be able to taste a hint of both. Hope you enjoy!

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
2 years ago
Terry V

I switched to almond milk years ago. Can it be used as a substitute to the heavy cream in this recipe?

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Erica L.

I have not been able to find Stouffer’s creamed spinach in grocery stores for over a year, but after making this recipe, I will stop looking. This is excellent! Perfect for someone on the Keto diet.

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Mary Hoogshagen

This is delicious! Was wonderful on a chicken sandwich using ciabatta bread. Of course, if you don’t do bread, I still think it would be good on baked or grilled chicken breast. Thanks for the recipe! ❤️

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
4 years ago
Candace

Hi, can this be made ahead of time?

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Julia

Yes, that should be fine. Reheat on the stovetop until warmed through.

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Hayley Ashcroft

Hi, just wondering is it 470 calories for the whole thing? Or per serving? I’m doing keto but calories counting aswell.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Julia

470 calories is per serving, and the recipe makes 2 servings. For more details (such as serving size), check out the section titled “Nutriton” located below the instructions.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Elizabeth

So delicious and easy

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
2 years ago
Sharon

I used frozen leaf spinach so I believe that is why I had to add additional cream. 12 ozs of fresh as opposed to 12 ozs of frozen is not the same. This was pretty good. I added a little cream cheese as well.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
3 years ago
Dan Phillips

yes I made it and it’s incredible. Making it again tonight.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
4 years ago
Julia

Wonderful, I’m glad you enjoyed it a lot!

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
4 years ago
Janet

Hey there , just wondering where the 1g if sugar is coming from? Also I thought Keto was NO sugar! Still learning. Thank you

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
4 years ago
Julia

Hi Janet! There’s a difference between added sugar vs sugar inherent in foods. On keto, it’s not advisable to add table sugar since they have a lot of carbs. But almost all foods contain some intrinsic sugar, including many vegetables and dairy products. That’s why there is 1g sugar per serving in this recipe. Since almost all foods contain some amount of sugar (unless they’re pure protein or pure fat), people on a keto diet try to stay under a daily limit of net carbs, which includes sugars and starches. Hope that makes sense! If you’re interested in learning more, I have an article for keto beginners: https://www.savorytooth.com/how-to-start-low-carb-diet/

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
4 years ago

Primary Sidebar

Trending Recipes This Month:

pan seared swordfish served on a plate

Pan-Seared Swordfish

close up view of casserole on white plate

Ground Beef & Broccoli Casserole

keto fried chicken served on white plate

Fried Chicken

close up view of microwaved artichoke served on plate

Microwaving Artichokes

chicken adobo with onions served on plate

Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

Footer

About

About
FAQ
Contact
Terms And Conditions
Privacy Policy

Search

Copyright © 2015–2023 · Savory Tooth

MENU
  • Welcome
  • Recipes
    • Mains: Poultry
    • Mains: Beef
    • Mains: Pork
    • Mains: Seafood
    • Mains: Lamb
    • Mains: Vegetable
    • Appetizers
    • Sides
    • Desserts
    • Breakfast
    • Salads and Dressings
    • Soups
    • Drinks
    • Snacks
    • Sauces and Dips
  • Low Carb Resources
    • How To Start
    • Shopping List
    • Hidden Carbs
    • Position Paper
    • Science Articles